The North Island Silvertips were able to keep up their fast pace, but weren't able to keep up their winning ways.
Nanaimo's B.C. Major Midget League hockey team (2-2) dropped its home openers to the Okanagan Rockets on Saturday and Sunday at the Nanaimo Ice Centre, losing 6-3, then 6-4.
"Over the weekend we played well," said Jason Dubyna, the team's coach. "I was happy with the level of compete."
He said his team showed good character – when the opposition scored a goal, the 'Tips tended to respond with a goal of their own, or an energetic shift.
"Okanagan plays with good speed and they attack well," Dubyna said. "For the most part we were good at handling it; at times we got outnumbered."
In the first game Joe Surgenor, Liam Shaw and Grady McInnes scored the goals. The next day Patrick Bajkov completed a hat trick by the first intermission and almost scored a fourth goal in the third period that would have tied the game, except that the net was ruled to be off its moorings. Nick Gomerich finished with a goal and two assists.
GAME ON … The Silvertips travel to the Interior to face the Thompson Blazers on Saturday (Oct. 6) and Sunday.
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